Hurricane Erick Strengthens to Category 4 Just Prior to Landfall in Mexico
Hurricane Erick Bears Down on Mexico's Pacific Coast
Get ready, Mexico's Pacific coast! The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced on Thursday that Hurricane Erick had been upgraded to a Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 kph). With an "extremely dangerous" designation, the hurricane is expected to make landfall in the western portion of Oaxaca or the eastern part of Guerrero states by morning.
Erick was originally a Category 1 storm, but it's been rapidly climbing the scale since Wednesday. The storm is currently moving northwest at 9 mph (15 kph), and forecasters believe it might even strengthen further before hitting the coast.
According to the NHC, Erick's projected travel path has crept south, meaning the hurricane could soon make landfall. In their latest advisory, they stated, "the center of Erick is expected to make landfall in the western portion of the Mexican state of Oaxaca or the eastern portion of the Mexican state of Guerrero this morning, and then continue inland over southern Mexico later today."
As Erick approaches, local authorities have been urging citizens in low-lying areas or near rivers to evacuate to shelters. Over 2,000 temporary shelters have been set up in Guerrero and Oaxaca, and hundreds of troops and electricity workers are on standby, ready to assist in any clean-up efforts needed.
This region along the coast is known for its susceptibility to mudslides, and there are numerous rivers that could overflow with heavy rainfall. In Acapulco, a popular tourist destination, authorities have stepped up patrols and are warning locals and visitors of the storm's arrival.
A Stormy History of Hurricanes in Mexico
It's no secret that Mexico deals with its fair share of stormy weather from May to November, with both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts taking a beating. Historically, the Pacific coast has experienced around 64 hurricanes each decade. The states of Baja California Sur and Sinaloa are most frequently affected by these storms.
September tends to be the most active month for hurricanes in the region, with storms like Tropical Storm Alvin and Hurricane Barbara appearing as early as May or June. However, early-season hurricanes are less common, and Hurricane Erick in 2025 was an unusual exception – it surged rapidly toward the southern Pacific coast and was an extremely early strong hurricane for the area.
When heavy rainfall, flooding, and wind damage hit, hurricanes like Hurricane Otis in October 2023 in Guerrero and Hurricane Agatha in 2022 near the proposed landfall area can cause significant destruction. Hurricane Otis struck as a Category 5 hurricane, the strongest Pacific hurricane landfall on record, with winds estimated at 160 mph (260 km/h).
To better anticipate the impacts of hurricanes such as Erick, researchers are focusing on prediction models. The severity and intensity of hurricanes affecting Mexico's Pacific coast have shown a tendency to increase, which is a concerning trend for this vulnerable region.
Revised by: Rana Taha and Kieran Burke
- The unexpected rapid intensification of Hurricane Erick, as seen in 2025, is a concerning trend that highlights the importance of studying environmental science, specifically climate-change and its impact on weather patterns.
- As America's neighbor, Mexico's struggle with climate-change related weather events, such as the increasing frequency of hurricanes, underscores the need for continued collaboration between our nations in the field of science, specifically weather-forecasting.
- In the face of recurring climate-change induced hurricanes like Erick, it becomes critical to invest in comprehensive scientific research in the field of environmental-science, with a focus on improving weather-forecasting technologies and disaster management strategies, to minimize the devastating effects of such events in regions like Mexico's Pacific coast.
